Salud. Dignidad. Justicia.

Juana Villegas Update

We have received a number of responses from folks who are concerned for Juana or were touched by her case. Unfortunately, Juana is not the first to be treated in this horrible and degrading manner, and she probably will not be the last. However, NLIRH is rising to the challenge of eradicating this awful practice.

We are building relationships and partnerships with colleagues in the detention rights community in order to address ICE/prison policies with an eye on eradicating the shackling policy in detention centers. Whenever an opportunity arises, NLIRH will address the importance of eradicating shackling procedures. The National Coalition for Immigrant Women’s Rights (NCIWR – on whose steering committee we sit) as well as NLIRH will continue to talk about all the issues impacting immigrant women in detention. Additionally, the Rebecca Projectsent a great letter to ICE regarding this procedure, and both NLIRH and NCIWR signed onto this letter. NCIWR is also developing a campaign to highlight the treatment of detained immigrant women in detention facilities through their own voices.

Though legislation has not been introduced to specifically address shackling procedures in detention centers,there has been legislation introduced looking at the standards that should be abided by in providing medical and mental health to detained immigrants within detention facilities.